Are We Living in the End Times?

Terrorist attacks.  Eleven earthquakes in one day.  Strange sounds coming from above.  Large groups of animals mysteriously dying.  Are these all signs of the end times, you may ask?  In a word, YES. 

Now I know you've probably heard this before, and probably for quite some time.  Various people have been claiming that the world is coming to an end for years, at times even giving an exact date.  If they paid attention to their Bibles though, they would have known that absolutely no one is going to know the exact time that this is going to take place.  Consider Mark 13:32:  "But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."  We are told to look for signs though that the time is getting close, not only in the skies, but also how people are.  See 2 Timothy 3:1-5:  "But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power."  This is definitely happening all around today.  For example, more than ever, as soon as something bad takes place, the first thought that comes to everyone's mind is "lawsuit".    
The signs of the end times are here and happening at an ever increasing rate, and let me tell you why.

First of all, we have been living in the end times since Jesus was crucified and resurrected.  Once He ascended to His throne in Heaven, then I believe the clock to the end times started counting down.  How do we know that we're getting ever closer to the end of this world as we know it and Christ's return to make a new world where He will rule?

The key thing to watch for is ever increasing demonic activity.  The devil knows that his time is short (yes, 1000 years is a short time when you're comparing it to eternity).  As the time gets closer though, his activity will increase.  That is happening more and more every day.  As you may know, when satan was thrown out of Heaven, God, in His infinite grace, allowed him to have dominion over all the earth until his time here was over and he would be locked away in hell. This is why bad things continue to happen here on Earth- satan causes them to happen.  You can follow the devil all you want by believing his lies, but he is still going to get you in the end.  More on that later in this post.  Anyway, here are some examples of demonic activity: 

1.  A pull away from Christianity and increased opposition to all that it stands for.  For starters, you can see that right here in America- from opposition to the 10 Commandments being displayed in America's courts, to the re-description of the Bible's definition of marriage, to the public outcry against Christians standing for their beliefs, and on and on.  People are more easily offended at every turn at the mention of what is right in God's eyes.  I know, I used to feel that way too.  I would always get mad when confronted about my evil ways.  You know why?  Because deep in my heart I knew I was totally wrong.  Jesus said this was going to happen.  He said himself that he did not come to bring unity, but division. See Luke 12:49-51:  "I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division."  This is all happening now, but there will be a high cost to pay.  This country was founded on Biblical principles and truths.  We cannot continue to spit in God's face and get away with it nor expect to continue to have His protection.  If we proceed with always asking God to butt out of our lives when it's convenient for us, He being as gracious as He is, will grant our wishes.  We need Him more than ever, especially since our enemy, satan, is ramping up his defenses and using more and more people and things to accomplish his plans.  What are his plans, you may ask?  Our destruction, plain and simple.  It's interesting to note that one of his methods is division.  Enough said.

2.  The increasing persecution of Christians, all around the world.  This is definitely the work of satan.  He hates God and all who are united with God more than anything else.  Of course he is going to try to destroy as many Christians as possible.  He thinks by doing so, that it will end the work of the Lord on earth.  We all know though if we've read our Bibles how this will end. That doesn't stop him from trying.  There is persecution every day in not only the Middle East but also in other areas like Kenya.  al-Shabab, which is linked to al-Qaida, is responsible for the latest round of attacks against Christians in Kenya.  If you want further evidence that the devil is alive and well, you need look no further than those groups, especially ISIS.  I pray that the followers of these groups wake up and realize who it is they are really serving before it is too late.  The devil has their eyes blinded and their souls controlled.  Once they are dead it is too late.  I don't want to see anyone in hell for an eternity and neither should you.     

3.  The increased opposition to Israel.  During the end times, more and more action will be taking place in the Middle East, particularly Israel.  As Iranian paramilitary leader Mohammed Reza Naqdi said on March 31:  "Erasing Israel off the map...Non-negotiable."  Why the increased persecution of Israel?  Well, again, it's satan at work and he's using his puppets to help accomplish what he wants.  The devil knows that Israel is God's chosen land so he therefore wants to try to obliterate it.  Why do we need to be worried about this?  First of all, not only are we receiving God's protection because of how we founded this country, but also in how we have treated Israel.  We are perching on a slippery slope these days, however.  Our current White House administration has proceeded to try to alienate Israel by attacking its leader publicly and incessantly.  They have said that they will "reassess" America's relationship with Israel and has also threatened to withdraw the support of Israel in the UN.  Not only that, they have proceeded to discuss nuclear deals with a huge enemy of Israel- Iran.  That is like making a deal with the devil himself.  What makes them think that Iran can be trusted and they won't turn those nukes on us?  Nothing, that's what.  Nothing, that is, but the veil of the devil's deception.  If we proceed to cut ties with Israel, then we will be bringing the wrath of God upon us, swiftly and surely.  Watch what happens.  As God has said in Genesis 12:3:  "I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." 

4.  Related to the increased opposition of Christianity, are the ways that people are behaving nowadays.  Popular is an anything goes mentality and if it makes you happy do it.    Again and again I have heard "What is going on?"  "What are people thinking?"  "No one has any regard for human life anymore."   "What is this world coming to?"  You hear it over and over again in the news.  People killing their entire families.  Children killing their parents.  Parents killing their children.  You don't have to look any further than Baltimore to see a lack of respect for persons and personal property.  The increasing number of people affected by gender confusion.  Don't think that's the devil?  Guess again.  He likes to take everything God has created and twist it all up.  He likes to make everyone believe that God makes mistakes; i.e., placing someone in the wrong body.  People affected are isolated, confused, lonely, angry and unhappy.  They feel alienated and often alienate themselves from the very ones who love them.  I have folks who are extremely close to me affected by this so I know what I'm talking about.  They used to believe in the Lord too, and now have done a complete 180.  Again, it has caused division- something the devil likes to do. 
More ways of behavior are the obsession with money to include trying to get something for nothing and the feelings of entitlement.  You can look at what happened in Baltimore to see the entitlement mentality. The world does not owe you anything.  Some folks will stop at nothing to try to get things and money, even if it means at the expense of others.  That's why the love of money is the root of all evil.  Like I said earlier, every time something bad happens, you can expect "lawsuit" to be coming out of someone's mouth.  That's the easy path to riches, isn't it?  When I was involved in a bad car accident a while back, I can't tell you how many of my friends mentioned that very thing and that's what I should do.  My thoughts on the matter was "what for?"  I was OK (to a degree)- I was able to walk away and didn't have any life-threatening injuries or monster medical bills thank the good Lord!  I was not angry or upset about it and was not going to try to get what was not mine.  You will not prosper by doing that.  Lo and behold, the Lord blessed me with an even better car than I had before and I received a great deal on it.  Related to this all-out money-grubbing mentality is the increasing cases of identity theft and people constantly being tricked out of their hard-earned cash.  This is all stated in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 like I said above.  Also see 1 Corinthians 6:9-10:  "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."

5.  There seems to be an increase in natural disasters and weird things going on throughout the world.  Earthquakes happening at an alarming rate and with increasing intensity.  Sinkholes appearing out of nowhere are becoming a common occurrence.  Tornados and hurricanes all the time.  Animals dying out in masses.  The "blood moons" back to back (and by the way occurring on Jewish feast days).  Increases in UFO sightings.  And the thing which really got me- the odd noises being heard in the skies throughout the world.  I had never heard of these before until I saw a video on it.  The noises remind me of the trumpet which will be announcing the Lord's arrival (could it be a precursor?).  By the way, you can do a search on "end times strange noises in the sky" and you will see a number of videos pop up.  All of these things are spoken about in the Bible; see Luke 21:11: "There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven."  Also Luke 21:25:  "And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves."

6.  Lastly, let's talk about the Mark of the Beast. I believe that has already started.  There has been a long debate in the Christian community about what it actually is going to be.  I believe it's a microchip.  Have you heard about the one that came out some time ago which contains your medical records and that some folks got implanted under their skin?  Well, that's only the beginning.  Guess which comes next and it's already happening.  See the following three articles: 

http://www.reuters.com/video/2015/02/09/microchips-implanted-under-the-skin-of-o?videoId=363136440

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-31042477

http://www.naturalnews.com/049582_transhumanists_
microchip_implants_RFID.html

Is it any surprise that these people are getting this in their hands???

This I am quite sure is the Mark of the Beast, folks.  I implore you, DO NOT take it!!!  If you do that, you are surely damned.  Myself, I don't care what people think of me or what they can do to me.  I don't care if without that mark I will not be able to buy or sell or I will be killed if I don't take it.  I will then go to Heaven so I will win.  I do care, however, what Jesus thinks of me and what He can do to me.  He has the power to condemn my body and soul to hell- man does not.  See Revelations 13:15-18:  "And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666."

So, there you are.  What are your thoughts on this?  Do you have any insights?  I'd love to hear them.  Likewise, if you need prayer or deliverance, I'd like to hear that too.  PLEASE don't hesitate to contact me if you need help!!  May God richly bless you.